Page 21 of Greed

“Ice.” Mr. Thorsen holds up an ice pack. “Sit. Elevate. Ice.”

“Ice?” Carrie glances at me before her gaze settles on my boss’s face.

She’ll never admit it, but I know she has a crush on Mr. Thorsen. She’s commented on his picture on the firm’s website more than once. Today is the first time she’s come face-to-face with the man himself.

Or, more accurately, face-to-chest since Carrie is five foot two and Mr. Thorsen is hovering around the six foot three mark.

For a split second, I feel like I’m stuck in the middle of a romance movie where the main characters lock eyes, and something silently passes between them.

Carrie clears her throat. “I’m Carrie Gilbert.”

Damn.I didn’t think my stepsister had it in her to make the first move, but her extended hand proves she’s been hiding some courage inside.

Rook takes her hand in his. It disappears when he curls his fingers around it. “Rook Thorsen. It’s a pleasure, Ms. Gilbert.”

“Carrie,” she whispers as she remains spellbound by his gaze. “I’m Abby’s stepsister.”

His eyes fall to the lanyard around her neck and the employee badge hanging from it. “You’re a chemist?”

Her fingers trail over the front of the badge. “Yes. I work at Matiz Cosmetics in their…”

“Let me guess.” He smiles. “Their fragrance department. You’re wearing one of your signature scents, aren’t you?”

Huh? What is happening right now?

Carrie nods. “I am. What do you think?”

She offers her hand again, but this time, Mr. Thorsen wraps his fingers around her wrist and brings it to his nose. He inhales deeply, closing his eyes briefly.

Carrie glances at me with raised brows and silently mouths, “Wow!”

“It’s enchanting.” He lowers her arm. “Beautiful, really.”

I shake my head to make sure I’m awake and not standing in some parallel universe.

Carrie sighs softly. “I have to get back to my lab. I wanted to stop by to firm up dinner plans with my sister.”

That snaps Mr. Thorsen out of his Carrie-induced spell.

I make a mental note to ask her what in the hell that fragrance has in it because I’ve never seen my boss like this.

“Here’s your ice, Abby.” He shoves it at me without a glance in my direction. “Ice up that ankle. When it feels better, go ahead and take the rest of the day off and enjoy your dinner with Carrie.”

I shake my head in shock. “What?”

I’m typically here at least twelve hours a day, and I often bank time on the weekends too. Corporate law has its perks, but when you’re just starting to build a career, you have to give it your all.

“An injury like that needs to be taken care of.” He glances briefly at my perfectly fine ankle hidden beneath the leg of my pants. “If it’s still bothering you tomorrow, and you need the day to recuperate, let my assistant know.”

“Sure thing!” I say a little too enthusiastically.

“Mr. Thorsen?” Svea, my boss’s executive assistant, suddenly appears in the open doorway of my office as if on cue.

He glances over his shoulder at her. “Yes?”

“Kirby’s school is on line one, sir.”

I expect him to dart off without another word to anyone because his daughter is his number one priority, but he turns his attention to Carrie. “It was good to meet you, Carrie. Take care.”

---